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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Alex Zulle
VaE Sept 6 - Sept 28, 1997 |
3,773.3 Km |
Starters: 198 |
Finishers: 125 |
xAverage Speed: xx41.344 km/h xxx * New Record
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Zulle Wins the Fastest Ever Vuelta
The 52nd Vuelta a Espana was held from September 6 to September 28, 1997. The racecourse consisted of twenty-two stages covering a total of 3,773.3 km. The Vuelta started in a foreign country for the first time in 1997. The race began in Lisbon, Portugal at the start of Expo '98.
The start list in 1997 included a large number of cycling superstars. Defending Vuelta champion Alex Zulle would face a huge challenge throughout the race.
1997 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- AKI-Safi
- Asics-CGA
- Banesto
- Brescialat-Oyster
- Cantina Tollo
- Casino-C'est votre équipe
- Cofidis
- Estepona/Marcha-Toscaf
- Euskaltel-Euskadi
- Festina-Lotus
- Flavia-Telecom
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- GAN
- Kelme-Costa Blanca
- Maia-CIN
- Mapei-GB
- ONCE
- Rabobank ProTeam
- Refin-Mobilvetta
- Saeco-Estro
- Scrigno-Gaerne
- TVM-Farm Frites
- US Postal Service
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Race Summary:
Stage 4: Eleuterio Anguita (Spa) ended a long term Spanish “FLAT stage win” drought on the stage 4 with a sprint win in Jerez de la Frontera!
Stage 7: The race’s GC began to take shape on the 219.2 km Stage 7 from Guadix to Sierra Nevada. The mountainous stage claimed a few significant victims. Race leader Laurent Jalabert, who had a brilliant ride on stage 6 to earn the Maillot Amarillo, struggled to answer an attack by Kelme’s Fernando Escartin with 6 km to go. Alex Zulle and Laurent Dufaux caught Escartin, but the French race leader fell off the pace and lost the Maillot Amarillo to Dufaux. The major GC contenders had made their statement.
Yvon Ledanois (Fra) soloed to the stage win, while Laurent Dufaux (Sui) finished second on the stage and grabbed the race lead. Jalabert struggled and finished more than 8 minutes behind. He fell out of contention for the overall victory. Another of the pre-race favorites, Abraham Olano (Spa), fell victim to the steep finishing slopes of the Alpujarras and abandoned in complete exhaustion.
Stage 9: After the dynamic results of Stage 7 only four riders would be in the hunt for the Vuelta’s General Classification victory. World ITT Champion Alex Zulle used the Stage 9 Individual Time Trial to move into the race leader’s jersey. He never looked back.
Stage 15: Pavel Tonkov completed a brilliant stage win at the top of the climb to Lago de Covadonga!!! Race leader Zulle finished second and retained the Maillot Amarillo.
Zulle (R) in control on the Covadonga with Jose Maria Jimenez (M) and Jalabert (L)
SPECIAL NOTE: On Stage 16, double stage winner (Stg 13, 15) Mapei-GB’s Pavel Tonkov (Rus) abandoned on stage 16 to experience the birth of his of his first son!!!
Stage 21: Zulle put his final stamp of the race lead with a convincing Stage 21 ITT win. Taking no prisoners Zulle caught and passed his “2-minute man”, who was the second placed Escartin, to secure the overall victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: An administration error on the parcours of stage 21’s ITT course caused the organizers to make slight changes to the racecourse. The Vuelta had forgotten to arrange a permit with the airport of Madrid. The parcours came too close to the airport’s neighborhood, subsequently it was not allowed to fly helicopters above the whole racecourse. On Saturday morning they made minor changes to the parcours.
Stage 22: Defending champion Alex Zulle rode into Madrid to claim the 1997 Vuelta victory. It was Switzerland’s 5th Vuelta victory in 6 years.
SPECIAL NOTE: The winning time in 1997 was the fastest average speed in Vuelta history at 41.344 km/h.
SPECIAL NOTE: In the process of winning the 1997 Vuelta Alex Zulle set the record for most days in the race leader’s jersey with 48 days!
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
St 1 Lisbon (Por)-Autocircuit Estoril (Por), 155.7 km |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
Stage 2 Evora (Por)-Vilamoura (Por), 225.3 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
Stage 3 Loule (Por)-Huelva, 173.3 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
Stage 4 Huelva-Jerez de la Frontera, 192.5 km |
Eleuterio Anguita (Spa) |
Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) |
Stage 5 Jerez de la Frontera-Malaga, 230.8 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
Stage 6 Malaga-Granada, 147 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 7 Guadix-Sierra Nevada, 219.2 km |
Yvon Ledanois (Fra) |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Stage 8 Granada-Cordoba, 175.8 km |
Bart Voskamp (Ned) |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Stage 9 Cordoba-Cordoba, 35 km ITT |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 10 Cordoba-Almendralejo, 224.5 km |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 11 Almendralejo-Plasencia, 194.5 km |
Jan Svorada (Cze) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 12 Leon-Alto del Morredero, 147 km |
Roberto Heras (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stg 13 Ponferrada-E. Valgrande Pajares, 196 km |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 14 Oviedo-Alto del Naranco, 169.5 km |
Jose Garcia Acosta (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 15 Oviedo-Lagos de Covadonga, 159.8 km |
Pavel Tonkov (Rus) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 16 Cangas De Onis-Santander, 170 km |
Jan Svorada (Cze) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 17 Santander-Burgos, 182 km |
Jan Svorada (Cze) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 18 Burgos-Valladolid, 183 km |
Leon Van Bon (Ned) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stg 19 Valladolid-L.Angeles de S.Rafael, 193 km |
Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stg 20 Los Angeles de San Rafael-Avila, 199 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 21 Alcobendas-Alcobendas, 43.7 km ITT |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 22 Madrid-Madrid, 154.6 km |
Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) |
 Alex Zulle (Sui)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Alex ZULLE (Sui) |
ONCE |
91h 15' 55" |
2 |
Fernando Escartin (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
+5'07" |
3 |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Festina-Lotus |
+6'11" |
4 |
Enrico Zaina (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
+7'24" |
5 |
Roberto Heras (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
+8'04" |
6 |
Daniel Clavero (Spa) |
Estepona/Marcha-Toscaf |
+10'02" |
7 |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
ONCE |
+10'03" |
8 |
Marcos Serrano (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
+10'40" |
9 |
Gianni Faresin (Ita) |
Mapei-GB |
+13'53" |
10 |
Yvon Ledanois (Fra) |
GAN |
+15'40" |
11 |
Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) |
+16'22" |
69 |
Filippo Simeoni (Ita) |
+2h03'23" |
12 |
Philippe Bordenave (Fra) |
+18'21" |
70 |
Frederic Bessy (Fra) |
+2h03'51" |
13 |
Felix Garcia-Casas (Spa) |
+18'47" |
71 |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
+2h04'12" |
14 |
Jose Manuel Uria (Spa) |
+19'42" |
72 |
Darren Baker (USA) |
+2h06'38" |
15 |
Carlos Contrepas (Col) |
+20'46" |
73 |
Patrick Jonker (Ned) |
+2h06'45" |
16 |
Marco Serpellini (Ita) |
+22'11" |
74 |
Victor Moratilla (Spa) |
+2h11'41" |
17 |
Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) |
+30'35" |
75 |
Juan Diego Ramirez (Col) |
+2h12'08" |
18 |
Juan-Carlos Dominguez (Spa) |
+31'23" |
76 |
Cristian Salvato (Ita) |
+2h16'20" |
19 |
Laurent Brochard (Fra) |
+31'51" |
77 |
Leon Van Bon (Ned) |
+2h19'27" |
20 |
Rodolfo Massi (Ita) |
+31'59" |
78 |
Giorgio Furlan (Ita) |
+2h19'29" |
21 |
Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) |
+34'08" |
79 |
Marco Milesi (Ita) |
+2h20'48" |
22 |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
+35'42" |
80 |
Juan-Carlos Vicario (Spa) |
+2h21'05" |
23 |
Francisque Teyssier (Fra) |
+36'06" |
81 |
Alessio Di Basco (Ita) |
+2h21'13" |
24 |
Serguei Ivanov (Rus) |
+37'59" |
82 |
Carlos Osorio (Col) |
+2h25'28" |
25 |
Fabian Jeker (Sui) |
+38'03" |
83 |
Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) |
+2h25'42" |
26 |
Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) |
+40'12" |
84 |
Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) |
+2h29'10" |
27 |
Ibon Ajuria (Spa) |
+41'24" |
85 |
Valerio Tebaldi (Ita) |
+2h34'02" |
28 |
Julio Cesar Aguirre (Col) |
+43'01" |
86 |
Sergei Ouslamine (Rus) |
+2h35'09" |
29 |
Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) |
+46'09" |
87 |
Luca Gelfi (Ita) |
+2h35'29" |
30 |
Bruno Thibout (Fra) |
+48'18" |
88 |
Gérard Rue (Fra) |
+2h38'20" |
31 |
Inaki Aiarzaguena (Spa) |
+48'34" |
89 |
Aart Vierhouten (Ned) |
+2h42'30" |
32 |
Francisco Cerezo (Spa) |
+52'20" |
90 |
Claudio Camin (Ita) |
+2h44'27" |
33 |
Bo Hamburger (Den) |
+54'21" |
91 |
Francis Moreau (Fra) |
+2h44'54" |
34 |
Pascal Richard (Sui) |
+55'34" |
92 |
Angelo Canzonieri (Ita) |
+2h45'35" |
35 |
Marino Alonso (Spa) |
+56'31" |
93 |
Marco Lietti (Ita) |
+2h46'15" |
36 |
David Plaza (Spa) |
+56'35" |
94 |
Danny Nelissen (Ned) |
+2h46'45" |
37 |
Alberto Leanizbarrutia (Spa) |
+57'04" |
95 |
Gianni Bugno (Ita) |
+2h47'00" |
38 |
Tony Rominger (Sui) |
+59'41" |
96 |
Bart Voskamp (Ned) |
+2h47'56" |
39 |
Federico Munoz (Col) |
+59'42" |
97 |
Franco Ballerini (Ita) |
+2h50'29" |
40 |
Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) |
+1h02'04" |
98 |
Santiago Botero (Col) |
+2h50'40" |
41 |
Jose Castelblanco (Col) |
+1h02'56" |
99 |
Mauro Radaelli (Ita) |
+2h52'25" |
42 |
Igor Galdeano (Spa) |
+1h03'01" |
100 |
Andrea Paluan (Ita) |
+2h54'41" |
43 |
Pascal Herve (Fra) |
+1h03'10" |
101 |
Diego Ferrari (Ita) |
+2h56'38" |
44 |
Prudencio Indurain (Spa) |
+1h04'17" |
102 |
Samuele Schiavana (Ita) |
+2h57'01" |
45 |
Cedric Vasseur (Fra) |
+1h08'01" |
103 |
Jurgen Werner (Ger) |
+2h57'01" |
46 |
Aitor Osa (Spa) |
+1h10'53" |
104 |
Mauro Zanetti (Ita) |
+2h57'06" |
47 |
Arsenio Gonzalez (Spa) |
+1h11'41" |
105 |
Davide Bramati (Ita) |
+2h58'31" |
48 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
+1h13'58" |
106 |
Massimo Apollonio (Ita) |
+2h59'38" |
49 |
Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) |
+1h14'35" |
107 |
Fabio Roscioli (Ita) |
+2h59'49" |
50 |
Oscar Lopez-Uriarte (Spa) |
+1h19'01" |
108 |
Davide Casarotto (Ita) |
+3h00'33" |
51 |
Jairo Hernandez (Col) |
+1h22'30" |
109 |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
+3h01'01" |
52 |
Andrea Noe (Ita) |
+1h24'33" |
110 |
Martin Hvastija (Slo) |
+3h02'02" |
53 |
Stefano Colage (Ita) |
+1h28'38" |
111 |
Sven Teutenberg (Ger) |
+3h06'01" |
54 |
Roberto Laiseka (Spa) |
+1h29'19" |
112 |
Danny Jonasson (Den) |
+3h09'18" |
55 |
Neil Stephens (Aus) |
+1h34'44" |
113 |
Mario Scirea (Ita) |
+3h09'18" |
56 |
Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) |
+1h39'25" |
114 |
Oscar Dalla-Costa (Ita) |
+3h09'47" |
57 |
Efrain Rico (Col) |
+1h39'27" |
115 |
Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) |
+3h14'13" |
58 |
Jose Rodriguez (Spa) |
+1h42'50" |
116 |
Jacky Durand (Fra) |
+3h14'34" |
59 |
Mauro Bettin (Ita) |
+1h43'05" |
117 |
Nicola Ramacciotti (Ita) |
+3h14'44" |
60 |
Inigo Cuesta (Spa) |
+1h45'50" |
118 |
Biagio Conte (Ita) |
+3h15'40" |
61 |
Amilcare Tronca (Ita) |
+1h45'56" |
119 |
Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) |
+3h18'33" |
62 |
Jose Garcia-Acosta (Spa) |
+1h47'09" |
120 |
Jan Svorada (Cze) |
+3h20'14" |
63 |
David Garcia (Spa) |
+1h49'21" |
121 |
Aitor Garmendia (Spa) |
+3h29'10" |
64 |
Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) |
+1h49'39" |
122 |
Maurizio Frizzo (Ita) |
+3h31'35" |
65 |
Koos Moerenhout (Ned) |
+1h53'01" |
123 |
Elio Aggiano (Ita) |
+3h34'13" |
66 |
Gianluca Gorini (Ita) |
+1h57'04" |
124 |
Remigius Lupeikis (Lit) |
+3h40'53" |
67 |
Franc Javier Mauleon (Spa) |
+1h59'49" |
125 |
Stefano Cembali (Ita) |
+3h59'05" |
68 |
Hermino Diaz-Zabala (Spa) |
+1h59'50" |
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Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Jose-Maria JIMENEZ (Spa) |
Banesto |
153 |
2 |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
ONCE |
94 |
3 |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
ONCE |
89 |
4 |
Francisco Cerezo (Spa) |
Estepona/Marcha-Toscaf |
74 |
5 |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Festina-Lotus |
72 |
6 |
Fernando Escartin (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
61 |
7 |
Yvon Ledanois (Fra) |
GAN |
55 |
8 |
Jose Garcia-Acosta (Spa) |
Banesto |
46 |
9 |
Pascal Richard (Sui) |
Casino-C'est votre équipe |
46 |
10 |
Roberto Heras (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
45 |
11 |
Enrico Zaina (Ita) |
Asics-CGA |
44 |
12 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
40 |
13 |
Juan-Carlos Vicario (Spa) |
Estepona/Marcha-Toscaf |
28 |
14 |
Daniel Clavero (Spa) |
Estepona/Marcha-Toscaf |
26 |
15 |
Bruno Thibout (Fra) |
Cofidis |
24 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Laurent JALABERT (Fra) |
ONCE |
206 |
2 |
Jan Svorada (Cze) |
Mapei-GB |
161 |
3 |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Festina-Lotus |
139 |
4 |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
ONCE |
131 |
5 |
Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) |
Scrigno-Gaerne |
125 |
6 |
Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) |
Banesto |
107 |
7 |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Festina-Lotus |
98 |
8 |
Mariano Piccoli (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
97 |
9 |
Fernando Escartin (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
89 |
10 |
Lars Michaelsen (Den) |
TVM-Farm Frites |
88 |
11 |
Claudio Camin (Ita) |
Brescialat-Oyster |
85 |
12 |
Alessio Di Basco (Ita) |
Saeco-Estro |
78 |
13 |
Leon Van Bon (Ned) |
Rabobank ProTeam |
71 |
14 |
Roberto Heras (Spa) |
Kelme-Costa Blanca |
71 |
15 |
Serguei Ivanov (Rus) |
TVM-Farm Frites |
67 |
VaE 1996
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